


Would You?

by LoonyLoomy



Category: Horrible Histories
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-30
Updated: 2014-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-06 20:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1871766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLoomy/pseuds/LoonyLoomy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blenkinsop's sister is getting married today, and it makes him think about what could be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Would You?

It was a big day today for Blenkinsop. His older sister, Eliza, was getting married to a marvellous chap who he knew would make her very happy. It was a few hours before the ceremony started and he was already dressed in a fine, dark-blue suit that had belonged to his father, full of pride and fluttery nerves.

 

Maltravers was attending the wedding--Eliza wouldn't have dreamed of not inviting her brother's best friend. Blenkinsop was coming to his house in the early morning so that they could go to the chapel together to help with the preparations. Maltravers had put on his suit--one of a sleek grey colour which was a little close-fitting for his liking--feeling happy for his friend and somewhat disheartened at his reflection.

 

Blenkinsop wouldn't share his sentiments, however. When he saw Maltravers as he walked into the living room, his breath was taken away. The fair golden hair was shining in the sunlight, the face of such soft features was in a glorious profile, the suit making him look the most dashing man he'd ever seen. "Maltravers..." he said quietly.

 

His friend turned to him and gave him a wide smile, then walked over and pulled him into a hug. "You must be so proud, dear chap. She'll make a beautiful bride."

 

Blenkinsop hummed in agreement. He returned the embrace, the image with which he'd been struck not leaving his mind. He tried to say what he'd wanted to again. "Maltravers, I..."

 

Maltravers pulled away slowly with a look of inquisitiveness that he had always been fond of. "What is it, dear chap?"

 

"I think you look...absolutely spiffing," he admitted, lightly running a hand down Maltravers' cheek. "I wish that I could marry you."

 

His eyes widened and he looked away a little shamefully, realising that his tendency to say things without thinking was getting the better of him. "I'm sorry--I didn't mean--"

 

"No, no, don't say that. I would in a heartbeat if I could, Blenkers. Surely you know that."

 

Blenkinsop was almost hesitant to meet his eyes, but he did and gave him a shaky smile. He could feel tears just slightly starting to form and he shook his head to try and dispel them. "Eliza's been so thrilled about this, about being able to marry the love of her life. She hasn't stopped talking about it since he proposed. It...made me think...about what could be..."

 

Maltravers couldn't stand to see his best friend acting like that. He pulled Blenkinsop down and kissed him, chaste and short but full of feeling. "You would make the most wonderful husband," he remarked, keeping their faces close with his hands in Blenkinsop's hair.

 

"Thanks, old bean," he said with affection. "We can only say 'would', though. We don't have the chance for anything more."

 

"That doesn't matter. We have each other, don't we? We'll always have that. Come on, now, why don't we cheer you up by taking the chance we do have?"

 

Blenkinsop looked at him with confusion, eyebrows tilted upwards in an expression he'd often had since he was a child.

 

Maltravers smiled encouragingly. He moved his hands down to grip Blenkinsop's arms and only had to look at the puppy-like face and that one curl of brown hair to convince himself to speak. "If you could: Would you, my dear Blenkers, take this podgy man who would join the army and go to hell for four years to keep you safe...as your lawfully wedded husband?"

 

Blenkinsop raised his hand to his mouth for a short time in a moment of speechlessness. He looked at Maltravers searchingly, then nodded and he said, "I would."

 

His eyes were bright with unshed tears; Maltravers cupped his cheek and swept his thumb across the corner of his eye. He felt insatiably proud, as if they really were allowed to marry, as if such a notion wasn't ridiculous and they didn't have to hide from the world, even when they were most scared and in need of comfort in the depths of grime and mud and pointless fighting. Perhaps that was because there was just the two of them here. No one was around to say that it was sinful. They were in their own fantasy, a world of 'woulds' and 'coulds' that meant nothing to anyone but everything to them.

 

"Would you... my best friend, my Maltravers... take a bumbling fool who doesn't understand anything except how much I care about you to be your--your husband?"

 

Maltravers tried to keep his gaze strong because he could see how those tears were still making Blenkinsop's eyes glisten--making them even deeper and easier to lose himself in--as he answered, "I would."

 

He wrapped his arms around Blenkinsop's neck and he felt hands grasp his suit as they simultaneously made the distance between them vanish to give into a kiss. There was none of the confusion of their first kisses, none of the desperation of their stolen kisses in the trenches, but all of the intensity of emotions as they moved their lips together.

 

Finally, Blenkinsop allowed them a break to say "I love you" breathlessly and was breathlessly answered in turn.

 

"Come on. We have a wedding to go to."


End file.
